Praying for Christchurch, New Zealand
My kiwi friend, Naomi, flew home on Monday.
That was the day an earthquake hit her hometown of Christchurch, New Zealand.
We received this update from her on Tuesday, when she arrived:
"im here in this city
my city
i arrived midday
and i see in part
on the news and the corners of the heart of Christchurch
the destruction, the sadness, the fear
the deaths have risen to 75 with 300 people missing.
when i see the people on the tv screen waiting outside crumbled buildings for their loved ones to be rescued. my heart breaks, the tears come and reality keeps pushing its way back in.
i have a high school friend who may or may not still be alive
death and life
this is reality..
since i have been here. this short time, this urgency to pray has been stirring and pushing at my heart. What God spoke to me before i left. what He spoke to me two years ago, was that i would go down to the depths of the darkness, and life/light would come forth. He told me that i would be on the streets, fighting the darkness. it seems that will indeed be the very place i am. whether its shovelling away debris or standing and praying with victims. i know that these things he spoke are coming to be much sooner than i would have ever anticipated.
he is raising up a song in me-it seems odd at this time- but it is the same with the prayer, the min i landed the song rose up in me "praise the one who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead". i was waiting in line to finally see Christchurch and i started quietly singing this song, as i did the tears welled up so i stopped. but i feel an urgency that we must sing out.
i dont know what this all looks like. but already i have been in contact with another friend who feels the same. i know practical things must be done but i also feel the spiritual aspect to this so strongly. we must fight.
the aftershocks are big, and frequent, there is no water and at the moment the supermarkets are closed. so food is just what you have.
our toilet is behind the garage outside. this is the case for a lot of people. water is the main concern. so please pray.
we dont know the full extent. but we do know our God is good."
We received this email early this morning:
"i just had a late night visit from my friend matthew, he was in the city when the earthquake struck. he helped pull people out and witnessed people die. he was in tears and like a lot of people just doesnt know how to process or what to do. the death toll is 98 and rising.
it is so hard.
this feels like the end of the world. my neighbor has lost a cousin, i have lost a old friend, people have lost there family.
the aftershocks are violent. there is serious thought that another earthquake that may hit.
i dont know all the ins and outs but ....i God is in this, one way or another, i know that there is an urgency to pray- even though sometimes it feels like the least action. but i know God is saying we must. i know that this is more than just nature. it is so much bigger than we know.
thank you for your prayers we need it soo so so so much.
i met with two friends today and we prayed out in his little shed / makeshift prayer room (what ywamers aye (: ) and it was good. we all have a deeper sense that God is calling chch to awaken. and also he has called us specifically to be a voice that urges chch call on God.
but still we need so much guidance.
my friends are still gettin married, its so hard for them to celebrate amongst this. hard for many. but our joy is in the Lord.
sorry if this was just heavy, but i want to keep in contact
xx"
We prayed for Naomi and her country today during a large thunderstorm and these are the words we received:
Please join with us as we continue to pray for Naomi and her city.
That was the day an earthquake hit her hometown of Christchurch, New Zealand.
We received this update from her on Tuesday, when she arrived:
"im here in this city
my city
i arrived midday
and i see in part
on the news and the corners of the heart of Christchurch
the destruction, the sadness, the fear
the deaths have risen to 75 with 300 people missing.
when i see the people on the tv screen waiting outside crumbled buildings for their loved ones to be rescued. my heart breaks, the tears come and reality keeps pushing its way back in.
i have a high school friend who may or may not still be alive
death and life
this is reality..
since i have been here. this short time, this urgency to pray has been stirring and pushing at my heart. What God spoke to me before i left. what He spoke to me two years ago, was that i would go down to the depths of the darkness, and life/light would come forth. He told me that i would be on the streets, fighting the darkness. it seems that will indeed be the very place i am. whether its shovelling away debris or standing and praying with victims. i know that these things he spoke are coming to be much sooner than i would have ever anticipated.
he is raising up a song in me-it seems odd at this time- but it is the same with the prayer, the min i landed the song rose up in me "praise the one who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead". i was waiting in line to finally see Christchurch and i started quietly singing this song, as i did the tears welled up so i stopped. but i feel an urgency that we must sing out.
i dont know what this all looks like. but already i have been in contact with another friend who feels the same. i know practical things must be done but i also feel the spiritual aspect to this so strongly. we must fight.
the aftershocks are big, and frequent, there is no water and at the moment the supermarkets are closed. so food is just what you have.
our toilet is behind the garage outside. this is the case for a lot of people. water is the main concern. so please pray.
we dont know the full extent. but we do know our God is good."
We received this email early this morning:
"i just had a late night visit from my friend matthew, he was in the city when the earthquake struck. he helped pull people out and witnessed people die. he was in tears and like a lot of people just doesnt know how to process or what to do. the death toll is 98 and rising.
it is so hard.
this feels like the end of the world. my neighbor has lost a cousin, i have lost a old friend, people have lost there family.
the aftershocks are violent. there is serious thought that another earthquake that may hit.
i dont know all the ins and outs but ....i God is in this, one way or another, i know that there is an urgency to pray- even though sometimes it feels like the least action. but i know God is saying we must. i know that this is more than just nature. it is so much bigger than we know.
thank you for your prayers we need it soo so so so much.
i met with two friends today and we prayed out in his little shed / makeshift prayer room (what ywamers aye (: ) and it was good. we all have a deeper sense that God is calling chch to awaken. and also he has called us specifically to be a voice that urges chch call on God.
but still we need so much guidance.
my friends are still gettin married, its so hard for them to celebrate amongst this. hard for many. but our joy is in the Lord.
sorry if this was just heavy, but i want to keep in contact
xx"
We prayed for Naomi and her country today during a large thunderstorm and these are the words we received:
- We felt a need to pray into pastors getting good words for the country, for all the people that will turn to the church in this time that they will get the words that they need to hear, and the Spirit would plant seeds of truth and revelation in people that would be nourished and grow..that people to disciple new Christians would rise up.
- Cam- Psalm 30, read the whole thing. but that that the dust would praise Him that you and the Christians would stand firm and without fear even if the ground is not secure.
- Megan got the song wade in the water (maybe look it up)- she doesnt know the details of it, but maybe pray into it? We feel that God is troubling the water which could symbolize the Spirit. Wade means movement- being in the water even though it is moving.
- Sav- Job 16:18-21 still have an intercessor in heaven speaking on our behalf- he is pleading for us as our friend.
- Jaylene- even when we don't have the words our tears and cries of our hearts are interceding and prayer before the Lord
- Lindsay- a picture of a candlelight prayer and worship at night the center of Christchurch. another picture she has is of two angels really big standing in the deep ocean water, holding the island in place, praying it wont shake again because he has control over the land and the seas.
- Jaylene- 1 Peter 1:3-12- grief you are suffering and glories that will follow...serving God, not themselves! The Christians have been called into serving God out of the life that has been given them by Jesus- its a living hope- the glorious joy that seems dampened- but the words they have and things they hold in Him will be enough...it will be their strength.
Please join with us as we continue to pray for Naomi and her city.
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